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The Church and Friary of St Francis in Ronciglione: cloister, art, and Capuchin memory
Located in Ronciglione along Viale San Francesco d'Assisi (formerly a stretch of the Via Cassia Cimina), the Church and Friary of San Francesco were built by order of Duchess Margherita Aldobrandini, the wife of Ranuccio I Farnese. She believed that the original 1581 Capuchin settlement was located too far from the town centre. The architectural design, dating from 1628 to 1632, was drawn up by Father Michele da Bergamo. In the 18th century, additional side chapels dedicated to Capuchin saints and Our Lady of Pompeii were added.
The paintings and the Quirinal altarpiece
The altarpiece of the high altar, depicting the Immaculate Conception with Saints Andrew, Clare, Francis, and Catherine of Alexandria, was painted in 1581 by Scipione Pulzone, known as "Il Gaetano". Originally executed for the Capuchins of San Bonaventura al Quirinale in Rome, it arrived in Ronciglione during the second half of the 17th century. The choir houses the Stigmatisation of St Francis by Giuseppe Bastiani. Meanwhile, the Chapel of St Joseph contains the Virgin and Child with Saints Joseph of Leonessa and Margaret of Cortona, painted by Ludovico Stern around 1750.
The cloister and Father Mariano
The friary features a rustic cloister with a central well and a terrace overlooking the valley. This is where Father Mariano da Torino—the celebrated 1960s "TV friar", now declared Venerable—used to spend his summer months. The church is open for free visits. Once a year, on Easter Tuesday, a traditional countryside festival takes place at the ancient site of the "Cappuccini Vecchi" (Old Capuchins).
